Domestic LPG connections fall by 6.2 million amid e-KYC and supply crunch
Oil ministry data shows active domestic LPG customers fell from 33.39 crore to 32.77 crore between April and September, hit by import strain and e-KYC rules.
If your gas cylinder connection has suddenly stopped working, you are not alone. According to Oil Ministry data, the number of domestic LPG customers in the country fell by 62 lakh between April and August. At the start of April, active domestic LPG customers stood at 33.39 crore, which fell to 32.77 crore by the start of September.
Notably, this is the first such decline in LPG customer numbers in a long time. At the start of 2015-16, the country had around 14.86 crore active LPG customers. The figure then rose steadily to reach 33.39 crore by the start of 2027, more than doubling over that period. But 2027 changed the picture entirely. Active customer numbers fell by 1 percent between April and August, slipping to 32.77 crore by the start of September.
There is no single reason for this decline. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has affected LPG supply, adding to India's difficulties. Before the conflict, 90 percent of India's LPG imports came from Gulf countries. Amid growing pressure on supply, oil companies have cut back on issuing new LPG connections.
E-KYC has also played a role. Aadhaar-based biometric authentication is being used to verify LPG connections. According to the government, by September 19, 27.43 crore, or 89.9 percent, of active domestic LPG customers had completed their biometric Aadhaar verification. Those who have not yet done so may face problems, which is said to have had some impact on gas connections and supply as well. In addition, from October 1, 2026, this authentication will be mandatory to book a subsidised LPG refill at the controlled rate.
This has also affected the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. The number of beneficiaries under the scheme has now fallen by around 6 lakh to just 10.57 crore.
In financial year 2025, India's LPG consumption was around 3.13 crore tonnes, while domestic production was around 1.28 crore tonnes, leaving the gap between demand and domestic production to be met through imports.
People are also shifting from LPG to PNG connections. In areas where PNG is available, the government and gas companies are encouraging people to move from LPG to piped gas. Around 6 lakh new PNG customers were added up to July this financial year, taking the total number of PNG customers to 1.75 crore. However, this shift to PNG accounts for only about one-sixth of the 62 lakh decline in LPG customers.
Between the end of March and the start of September, South India saw the biggest drop in LPG customers, at around 26.3 lakh, followed by West India with 16.2 lakh and North India with 15 lakh. East India also saw a decline of 3.4 lakh customers. Despite this, North India still has the highest number of LPG customers. At the start of September, North India had around 9.93 crore LPG customers, South India 7.98 crore, West India 6.83 crore and East India 6.75 crore.
